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In the US, the last four words of our pledge of allegiance says, “and justice for all.”
The desire for justice is an enormous part of what it means to be human. We hear pleas for justice all the time: social justice, racial justice, economic justice, environmental justice . . . the list goes on and on. We all have a built in sense of fairness and we are upset when we see things that we know are unfair being done to people, especially people who do not have the power to stand up to the unfairness.
One of the most glorious things about the invisible landscape is the fact that with God, every wrong will eventually be made right!
God is a God of Justice
Amos 5:24 (ESV): 24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
In the Scriptures we see clearly that God is a God of Justice. He is always taking up for orphans and widows, and pleading the case of the poor. He especially looks out for those who are likely to be exploited by unscrupulous people who have more power than themselves.
WE ARE MADE IN THE IMAGE IF GOD
This sense of justice that is implanted in human beings is a big part of what it means to be created in the image of God. It is one of the things that separates us from the other animals. It is part of how we know we have a soul. We have built into us a sense of right and wrong. Even if we have never read the Bible, we know deep down that it is wrong to torture and kill people. We don’t need to be told that cheating, stealing, and raping are bad. It is programmed into our soul.
GOD HOLDS PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS
Romans 14:10–12 (ESV): 10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” 12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
All of a sudden, we begin to get uncomfortable with the idea of justice! We want justice for everyone who has done mean things to us; those who cheated us, or killed our family member, or lied and smeared our character. But when we begin to realize that we ALL must give an account to God for our own bad actions and words, we want to run and hide. Jesus said, “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” Matthew 12:36–37 (NLT):
We want Justice for Everyone . . . Else
When it comes to me . . . I have good reasons for the things I did that others think are bad! I have many ways of justifying everything I’ve ever done!
I’m not as bad as Hitler!
Everybody does it!
That’s the main justification I use. “Everybody does it.” Whatever “it” is! God agrees that everyone does bad things.
Romans 3:23 (NLT): 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Romans 3:10–12 (NLT): As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one. 11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. 12 All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”
OUCH! We all want to say, “I’m not that bad!!”
But God’s justice is very thorough and the consequences are severe for us when we have hurt other people and thumbed our nose at God. What we earn when we sin is separation from God. We become separated from life. We may be existing in the physical landscape, but we are spiritually dead.
Romans 6:23 (NLT): 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
When Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians, he summarized what the believers’ lives were like before they experienced God’s grace:
Ephesians 2:1–3 (NLT): Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
But God . . .
What wonderful words! But God . . .
Paul continues: Ephesians 2:4–5 (NLT): 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
The wages of sin is death BUT the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord for those who repent and believe.
God is Just and the Justifier of Those Trusting in Him
God has intervened. He does not ignore justice in forgiving us because Jesus paid the cost of our sins so that we can go free. We can have a new kind of life starting right now in an interactive relationship with God.
Remember the verse that said “everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
The very next thing God says in that passage is:
Romans 3:24–26 (NLT): 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
Wow! What awesome news! God can be fair and can forgive ME!!!!!
But What About that Part Where I must Give Account for Every Idle Word?
Yes. When that Day comes, believers will have an Advocate by their side. The Apostle John tells us about this wonderful truth:
1 John 2:1–2 (NLT): My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.
We will never be condemned when we are covered by Jesus. He will say, “This one is mine. I’ve paid her debt. She goes free!”
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:24
Postscript
If you have read down this far, I have something I want to say.
God’s Justice is actually a very beautiful attribute that complements his love for us. Think about it. His love for us compels him to call everyone to account who hurts us in any way. His Justice is motivated by his love. We shrink back when we think of his Justice toward ourselves, but that is where his grace and mercy come to our rescue. If we call out for mercy in spite of how we’ve treated or ignored him, he has mercy on us based on the unbelievable sacrifice Jesus made for us out of the deep love he has for us. Please don’t miss the beauty of God’s Justice and God’s love together. Each one of those shows how marvelous the other one is. They really do go together and he proves his love by his Justice. Please don’t be scared away by his severity towards evil doers. Even if you know you have done evil he will grant you pardon if you will change your mind and change your direction and step into his kingdom (link) in the invisible landscape.